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New record set for annual passenger traffic at Austin-Bergstrom

City of Austin

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASERelease Date: Feb. 13, 2020

AUS closed out its 20th anniversary year by setting a new annual passenger record: 17,343,729 passengers traveling through the airport in 2019.

AUSTIN, TEXAS – Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) closed out its 20th anniversary year by setting a new annual passenger record: 17,343,729 people traveled through the airport in 2019. This is the tenth record-breaking year in a row, with a year-to-year increase over 2018 of 9.6%. Since opening in 1999, AUS passenger traffic has tripled.

In addition to smashing annual passenger records, AUS achieved many milestones in 2019. In June, the airport welcomed Jacqueline Yaft as its new Executive Director.

“The employees of the Aviation Department accomplish astounding records and milestones year after year, for which we are all very proud,” said Austin Assistant City Manager Gina Fiandaca. “With Jacqueline’s leadership, the airport will continue to be a world-class facility we treasure as a community, while also rapidly growing to meet the needs of Central Texas in the future.”

On the construction front, the 9-gate terminal expansion opened in February, which increased the total number of gates at the Barbara Jordan Terminal to 34. In 2019 alone, between the 9-gate terminal expansion and the existing Barbara Jordan Terminal, construction completed on more than 30 concessions.

Last year, Austin travelers took advantage of those new concession options and enjoyed:

1,603,602 tacos

71,798 pounds (35.9 tons) of brisket

28,281 Lammes Candies

48,810 Austin and Texas themed stickers

12,107 guitar picks

1,200 pounds of cheese and 2,000 bottles of Texas wines at Vino Volo

489 kegs of Real Ale Axis IPA

3,000 bottles of Tito’s Vodka

Upholding Austin’s reputation as the Live Music Capital of the World, travelers enjoyed 1,327 live music performances across seven stages throughout the terminal. To keep up with what has grown to 31 live shows a week, the airport’s Arts and Music Program launched Experience AUS. Experience AUS is a mobile platform allowing travelers to text “AUSTIN” to 56512 explore music schedules and performance locations, art tours, games for kids, and options for offsetting their carbon footprint when travelling.

Last year was also an exciting year in air service at AUS, with nine carriers starting or announcing 24 new routes. This includes WestJet announcing seasonal nonstop service from Austin to Calgary; Spirit Airlines arriving in Austin with daily nonstop service more than 10 U.S. destinations; and Delta opening a state-of-the-art SkyClub in the new nine gate expansion.

“We have seen tremendous growth and demand at Austin’s airport over the past 20 years,” said Jacqueline Yaft, Executive Director for the Aviation Department. “We are even more thrilled as we look to the horizon, and for what we envision for the future of air travel for Central Texas.”

In May, Lufthansa arrived in Austin as the German carrier’s only new North American nonstop announced in 2019, connecting the capital of Texas to the airline’s main hub in Frankfurt, Germany. Fall brought the announcement of two more transatlantic routes to begin in 2020: nonstop service to Paris aboard Norwegian, and to Amsterdam on KLM. In 2019, international travel increased by 21%.

In 2019, Austin-Bergstrom also continued its own commitment to sustainability, purchasing 999 metric tons of carbon offsets in 2019. The airport’s overall environmental efforts were recognized by the Airports Council International’s Airport Carbon Accreditation, awarding AUS Level 2 Carbon Accreditation.

December 2019 air cargo totaled 13,194,011 lbs., up 6.2% compared to December 2018. International air cargo totaled 1,628,129 lbs., up 15.8%. Federal Express carried 6,905,650 lbs., down 8.8 % and United Parcel Service carried 4,153,317 lbs., up 11.5 %.

Air Services transferred 881,710 lbs. of mail, up 11.4%; and 2,115,023 lbs. of belly freight, up 18.04 %.

January – December 2019 air cargo totaled 149,540,266 lbs., down 3.2% compared to December 2018. International air cargo totaled 21,531,024 lbs., down 3.6%. Federal Express carried 91,932,651 lbs., down 6%; and United Parcel Service carried 38,850,337 lbs., up 2%.

Air Services transferred 10,509,840 lbs. of mail, up 35%; and 22,236,575 lbs. of belly freight, up 9.3 %.